Disability Inclusion Funding and Support

Tier 2 school-level funding expenditure requirements

Schools must spend Disability Inclusion funding in the year that it is received.

The way that schools implement Disability Inclusion to increase capacity, capability and adjustments will vary depending on the intensity and frequency of student need, the characteristics of the cohort of students in a school, and other factors such as school size, location, access to local workforces and expertise.

Allowable uses of Tier 2 funding

Schools have flexibility to determine how to use Tier 2 school-level funding to deliver support that will best embed inclusive practice, provided it falls within the following categories:

• Professional learning for school-based staff – this is defined as Professional Learning activities to build school capability in inclusive education and evidence-based approaches for supporting students with disability in the classroom and at school.
• Education workforces and/or assigning existing school staff to inclusive education duties – this is defined as new and/or existing education workforces who support students with disability in the classroom, school and/or through school processes (refer to example outline of responsibilities for a Disability Inclusion Leader).
• Other workforces to support students with disability – this is defined as the engagement of services and professionals external to the school, to support whole-school teaching and learning of students with disability.
• Teaching and learning programs and resources – this is defined as programs and resources that can be purchased to support whole-school teaching and learning of students with disability.
• Equipment, adaptive technology, devices, or materials to support learning – this is defined as equipment, adaptive technology, devices, or materials to support whole-school teaching and learning of students with disability.
• Minor building or internal environmental modifications under $5,000 (GST inclusive) – this is defined as minor adjustments or modifications to school facilities to meet accessibility needs of students with disability in school.
• Casual relief teaching (CRT) replacement – this is defined as staffing replacements for time release of school-based staff to attend professional learning and school planning activities in relation to inclusive education and support for students with disability, including attending Disability Inclusion Profile meetings for students identified as requiring Tier 2 support.

Examples of activities and adjustments

There are a wide range of practices and school activities that can be supported through Tier 2 school-level funding.

Building school capacity and capability to support inclusion

Examples of school capacity and capability building activities schools can implement with support from Tier-2 school-level funding include:

• professional learning on inclusive education for education workforces
• employing specific disability/inclusion roles in schools, such as disability inclusion coordinators and inclusion leaders (refer to example outline of responsibilities for a disability inclusion leader) to build leadership capacity
• employing education workforces (teachers, allied health, education support)
• access to specialist services or expertise in disability.

Resources

• Master in Inclusive Education (MIE) – schools can use Tier 2 school-level funding to cover CRT replacement, in addition to that provided through the MIE placement, to support the MIE participant in completing course, assessment and/or practicum requirements.
• Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties) (GCE) – schools can use Tier 2 school-level funding to cover CRT replacement to support participants in completing course and/or assessment requirements. Schools can use Tier 2 school- level funding to purchase additional Graduate Certificate placement(s) for teacher(s) to strengthen the delivery of contemporary, evidence-based inclusive practice that supports all learners.
• Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES) is an assessment and reporting tool. ABLES Professional Learning helps school staff understand how to use ABLES to assess students, create reports and track progress. There are 5 modules, each focusing on a specific element of the ABLES suite of resources and each requiring approximately one hour of online participation per module.
• Inclusive Classrooms Professional Learning Program – a suite of evidence-based professional development courses that includes: human rights approach to diversity and inclusion, individual education planning professional learning, supporting students with autism, supporting students with learning difficulties including dyslexia, supporting students with learning difficulties including dyscalculia, supporting students with hearing loss, supporting students with oral language and learning, supporting students with vision impairment and supporting student behaviour.
• Inclusive Foundations for Children with Disability – Primary School – this AllPlay Learn Online Professional Learning Course provides practical strength and evidence-based strategies and resources to help primary school teachers and schools create inclusive education environments for children with disability and developmental challenges. This course takes 4 to 6 hours to complete.
• Inclusive Foundations for Children with Disability – Secondary School – this AllPlay Learn Online Professional Learning Course provides practical strength and evidence-based strategies and resources to help primary school teachers and schools create inclusive education environments for children with developmental challenges and disabilities. This course takes 4 to 6 hours to complete.
• Education Support Staff Working in Classroom Support Roles policy and guidelines supports principals and school leaders to make decisions about the effective use of education support staff in the classroom.

Planning adjustments

Examples of planning adjustments schools can implement with support from Tier-2 school-level funding include:

• dedicated and ongoing planning for students across the school, including student support groups, individual education plans (IEPs) and behaviour support plans. IEPs, for example, are a useful record of adjustments that are being provided to the student. The school is required to ensure ongoing consultation with parents and monitor the student’s progress, modifying adjustments as needed.
• consultations with allied health professionals and specialist consultants, educators, and specialist support organisations
• planning and orientations for transitions between year levels/schools
• parent engagement activities.

Resources

• Individual education plans (IEPs) outlines IEP requirements and assists schools to identify when a plan is required to support a student with their education.
• Individual education planning summary guide (PDF) provides a summary of available resources to support teachers and school leaders to develop meaningful IEPs, monitor, record and drive student progress and support students who may have multiple plans.
• Student support groups (SSG) provides guidance to schools on supporting students with disabilities and diverse learning needs through SSGs.
• Behaviour – Students provides information about promoting positive behaviour, a tiered response approach for student behaviour, responding to challenging behaviours and professional learning opportunities for school staff.
• Career education and workplace learning for students with disability provides information about supporting students with a disability in their career and pathway planning.
• Transitions and pathways provides information on how to support transitions to primary school, and transitions to secondary school for students with disability.
• Transitions from AllPlay Learn provides guidance and information on transitions to primary school, transitioning throughout the primary school day, transition to secondary school, transitioning to year 11 and 12, and transitioning to post-school education or employment.

Teaching, assessment and reporting adjustments

Examples of teaching, assessment and reporting adjustments schools can implement with support from Tier-2 school-level funding include:

• pedagogical adjustments and educational interventions including provision of study notes or research materials in different formats
• small group teaching and targeted instruction
• curriculum adjustments for groups of students
• targeted classwork, lesson plans or homework
• targeted assessments, tasks, tests or presentations tailored to ability level or individual learning plan
• informal forms of assessment, alternate assessment tools and online assessment tools
• behaviour management interventions and programs
• literacy, writing and reading support intervention programs
• numeracy support and math intervention programs
• vocational, recreational, health, wellbeing, personal development, re-engagement and life skills programs.

Resources

• ABLES is an assessment and reporting tool. Advice is available on how to integrate ABLES into the teaching and learning cycle and a free online professional learning course is available for teachers and support staff.
• Towards Foundation Victorian Curriculum F-10 Guidelines for Students with Disabilities (VCCA) provides advice for school leaders and teachers to support the delivery of high-quality curriculum for all students, with a focus on those students with disabilities.
• The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has developed information and resources, including illustrations of practice, to show how teachers can adapt the curriculum for students with disabilities.
• Learning Difficulties Information Guides – School Leaders, Literacy and Numeracy provide information to implement school-wide responses, and provides guidance and strategies for teachers to support students with learning difficulties in literacy, including dyslexia and dysgraphia, and in numeracy, including dyscalculia.

Environment and resources adjustments

Examples of environment and resource adjustments schools can implement with support from Tier-2 school-level funding include:

• use of visual, tactile timetables
• strategic use and modifications to classroom spaces and seating
• services such as interpreters and specialist staff providing consultancy support or professional learning and training for staff
• specialist equipment and assistive technology or expertise to support access and inclusion:
  • specialised communication systems
  • learning technologies and applications (apps)
  • customised or adjustable furniture
  • mobility equipment and resources
  • ability switches and switch-adapted toys
  • portable amplification equipment
  • literacy aids
  • communication software
  • inclusive recreation equipment and resources.
• minor building or internal environmental modifications under $5,000, to support students with disability and/or strengthen inclusive school environments, for example:
  • installing handrails
  • installing lighting
  • labelling of steps paths
  • designated routes – consideration of surfaces (slippery, textured or uneven)
  • steps of varied heights to aid access
  • adaptation to provide wheelchair access (ramps, wider doors)
  • accessible bathrooms and toilets.

Resources

• The Inclusion and Diversity Policy template (login required) has been developed by the department's Legal Division as a school-wide policy for inclusion.
• Student Engagement Policy provides advice, resources and strategies to assist schools to create an effective local student engagement policy which provides the basis on which schools develop and maintain safe, supportive and inclusive school environments.
• Equipment and assistive technology professional practice guides support schools to identify, purchase and implement inclusive equipment and assistive technology that will best meet the needs of their students. Practice guides are available on inclusive equipment and assistive technology, portable Soundfield systems, inclusive software, and Boardmaker.